Rail-joint.



No. 664,|99. Patented Dec. I8, 1900'.

-s. B. WHARTON.

RAIL JOINT.

(Application filed. Mar. 27, 1900.)

(No Model.)

' fl i WITNESSES NiTiEn STATE i FFICTE.

SILAS B. WHARTON, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES B. STALEY AND SAMUEL M. ROBINSON, OF SAME PLACE. I

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,199, dated December 1900- Applioation filed March 27. 1900.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, SILAS B. WHARTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Rail-Joint, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved rail-joint which is simple and durable in construction, arranged to prevent low joints, breaking of the wheels passing over the rails and creeping of the latter, and at the same time prevent the nuts of the bolts from becoming loose and protect the ends of the rails from flattening out.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the im-. provement as applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same, and Fig sis a perspective view of one of the bolts.

The rails A A to be fastened together are engaged by a sleeve B, adapted to inclose the bases of the rails at the adjacent ends as well as the webs of the rails A A, and bolts 0 are passed transversely through the sides of the sleeve B and through the webs of the rails A A to securely fasten the rails to the sleeve, the nuts 0 of said bolts being held from turning by a nut-bar D extending on one side of the sleeve B, as is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The lower end of the bar D is formed with a transverse extension D, which extends through a socket B on the sleeve B and along the under side of the base of the rails A A at their adjacent ends, as indicated in Fig. 3. The extension D projects to the other side of the sleeve B and is there formed with an upwardly-turned projection D resting against Serial No. 10,384. (No model.)

this side of the sleeve, as shown in Fig. 2, to prevent lateral movement of the nut-lock bar.

In order to securely fasten the nut-lock bar in position, a wedge or key E is driven under the extension in the socket B and the projecting thin end of the wedge is bent downward, as atE, (see Fig. 2,) to prevent the wedge from becoming loose in the socket.

In order to prevent the bolts C from turning when the nuts 0 are screwed up on the bolts, I prefer to provide the shanks of the bolts at or near their heads With-longitudinally-extending lugs Ciengaging correspond. ingly-shaped recesses formed in the side of the sleeve B,engaged by the head of the bolt. (See dotted lines in Fig. 3.)

The sleeve B is Very simple and durable in construction and can be readily applied, it being understood that in laying the track the sleeve B is slipped upon the rail to be joined to another rail, and then the rail, with the sleeve, is placed in position and the sleeve is slipped upon the rail already down, and then the bolts are inserted and the nuts screwed up to securely fasten the parts together. When this has been done, the nut-lock bar is placed in position against the nuts, the extension D is passed through the socket B, and then the key or Wedge E is placed in position and drivenhome to securely fasten the nut-lock bar in place.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A rail-joint having a sleeve engaging the bases and webs of the ends of adjacent rails, '85 bolts extending through the sides of the sleeve and through the rail-webs, and a nut-lock bar for engaging the sides of the bolt-nuts, the said bar having an extension adapted to extend along the under side of the base of the rails, the said extension passing through the sleeve, substantially as described.

2. A rail-joint having a sleeve engaging the bases and webs of the ends of adjacent rails, bolts for fastening the rails to the sleeve,a nut- 5 lock bar extending on one side of the sleeve for engaging the bolt-nuts, the lower end of the bar being formed with an extension passing through the lower part of the sleeve and extending along the under side of the base of the rails at their adjacent ends, and means for holding the lock-bar in position, substantially as described.

3. A rail-joint having an approximately U shaped sleeve engaging the bases and Webs of the ends of adjacent rails, bolts extending through the sides of the sleeve and through the rail-Webs, to fasten the parts together, and a nut-lock bar for engaging the sides of the bolt-nuts and holding the latterfrom turning, the bar having a transverse extension engaging a socket in the bottom of the sleeve, as set forth.

4. A rail-joint having an approximately U -shaped sleeve engaging the bases and webs of the ends of adjacent rails, bolts extending through the sides of the sleeve and through the rail-webs, to fasten the parts together, a nut-lock bar for engaging the sides of the bolt-nuts and holding the latter from turning, the bar having a transverse extension engaging a socket in the bottom of the sleeve, and a key adapted to be driven into said socket against said extension, to hold the lock-bar in place, as set forth.

5. A rail-joint having an approximately U -shaped sleeve engaging the bases and webs of the ends of adjacent rails, bolts extending through the sides of the sleeve and through the rail-Webs, to fasten the parts together, and a nut-lock bar for engaging the sides of the bolt-nuts and holding the latter from turning, the bar having a transverse extension engaging a socket in the bottom of the sleeve, the end of the bar being formed with an offset for holding said bar against transverse movement in said socket, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SILAS B. WHARTON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE FORD, JOHN D. PLATZ. 

